Crawler-type Vehicles Research Articles

Stair-climbing gait for a four-wheeled vehicle

This paper proposes a stair-climbing gait for a four-wheeled vehicle. The idea and methodology of climbing stairs are described, and the results of experiments are shown. Crawler-type vehicles and vehicles with special, complicated mechanisms are commonly used for climbing continuous steps (stairs). In contrast, in this paper, a four-wheeled vehicle with additional degrees of freedom, whose mechanism is not as complicated, is discussed. A gait algorithm based on a pace gait is proposed, and its performance is evaluated.

Fractional model of viscoelastic oscillator and application to a crawler tractor

Viscoelastic oscillator (VEO) is the basic model extracted from viscoelastic damping structures. To precisely understand the dynamic behavior of VEO, generalized modeling of fractional viscoelastic oscillator (FVEO) is proposed and its frequency response is deduced. For demonstrating purpose, frequency response of three FVEOs is studied. As an engineering application case, the viscoelastic suspension mounted in a heavy crawler-type vehicle is considered and its vibration model is built by FVEO, whose time-domain solution is numerically derived by matrix differential theory. The results indicate that FVEO is a valid approach to evaluate the dynamic response of viscoelastic damping structures.

Response of viscoelastic damping system modeled by fractional viscoelastic oscillator

The fractional model considering geometric factor of viscoelastic damping systems is proposed by adopting fractional viscoelastic oscillator. To obtain dynamic responses of the fractional model, a numerical method is derived based on matrix function theory and Grumwald–Letnikov discrete form of fractional derivative. As a special engineering application example, the vibration response of the viscoelastic suspension installed in heavy crawler-type vehicles is studied through the proposed model. Furthermore, the parameter influence on the vibration control capability of the viscoelastic suspension is researched. The results indicate that the fractional viscoelastic oscillator is a favorable choice to characterize the dynamic behavior of viscoelastic damping structures. Additionally, the parameters in fractional viscoelastic oscillator namely geometric factor and fractional order exert considerable impact on the dynamic response of viscoelastic damping structures.

Equipment for underground roadway drivage: Products and engineering from Neuhäuser GmbH

AbstractNeuhäuser GmbH has delivered products and components for a great variety of requirements for roadway drivage at underground mines for more than 50 years. The company's product range includes drilling systems and crawler type vehicles as well as rail systems. Neuhäuser offers comprehensive planning and independent engineering for all technical areas, including technical support, training and support of the projects.

Fluid Powered Ropeway: Self-Propelled Probe Sliding Along Flexible Tube

This paper proposes a new method of locomotion called the “fluid powered ropeway.” It aims to collect information in dangerous buildings as rapidly and safely as possible. The device is mainly composed of a flexible flat tube and a gondola probe that is driven by fluid power using the buckling phenomenon of the tube. The big advantage is the gondola has the potential to traverse rocky terrains that wheeled and crawler-type vehicles have difficulty crossing over. This is because the drive force of the gondola is not against the ground but against the tube. In this paper, first, how to operate fluid powered ropeway in a disaster site is illustrated. Next, how to increase the drive force, how to enhance the ability of the gondola to travel over obstacles, and an analysis of the performance are discussed. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed method is verified through an experiment that uses the prototype developed.

Autonomous Control for Crawler-type Vehicle by Fuzzy Control

Autonomous Control for Crawler-type Vehicle by Fuzzy Control

Helios VII: a new vehicle for disaster response — mechanical design and basic experiments

Crawler-type vehicles have a considerable importance for rescue operations and tasks performed on disaster-stricken areas. A great deal of research has already been performed on tracked vehicles. However, due to the variety of scenerios in which robots are employed, it is important to design vehicles with high terrain adaptability and that are capable to fulfill different tasks. After an overview of the merits of crawler-type vehicles, the important features of tracked vehicles are introduced and explained. The concept and the mechanical design of a new crawler-type vehicle for rescue operations, named Helios VII, are presented. It consists of two crawlers independently actuated and it is equipped with a manipulator. The novel gripper utilized as an end-effector for the arm is also introduced and tested. Basic experiments on the first assembled prototype are performed to verify the motion capabilities of the vehicle.

Dynamic Interaction between Crawler Shoes and Road. 3rd Report. Behavior of Shoes in Driving.

This report describes the effects of shoes on the road in driving. Through experimental and theoretical analysis using a scale model of a crawler-type vehicle, the slip, sinkage, inclination, shearing stress and ground pressure of a shoe are obtained quantitatively and considered synthetically. The dynamic behavior of a shoe affected by roller pressure, its front and back shoes behavior and road reaction is analyzed numerically in the overall shoe contact area and in the regions under the contact points of a roller and a shoe. The main reason for shoe contrary slip, which is undesirable for the generation of crawler tractive force, is found to be a fluctuation of shoes produced by the change of rolling pressure position as a roller moves from the rear to the front side of the vehicle.

Dynamic Behavior of Crawler-Type Vehicles : The Experimental Examination of Straight Propelling

In the previous paper, we developed equations of motion for analyzing the dynamic behavior of crawler-type vehicles during straight propelling on soft ground and firm ground. In this study, experiments were carried out in order to verify the validity of the simulation model. The power shovel, a typical example of a crawler-type vehicle, was used in the tests. We measured the dynamic characteristics of the ground to determine the settlement and shear with consideration of hysteresis. The results of experimental tests are in good agreement with the theoretical results. The dynamic behavior of the vehicles, as indicated by parameters such as the dynamic ground pressure, is determined.

Dynamic Interaction between Crawler Shoes and Road. 1st Report. Basic Theory of Crawler Propulsion.

Crawler-type vehicles are often used as the propulsion apparatus for construction machinery because they produce stable supporting force and high propulsion power on soft ground. At present, theoretical studies on the dynamic behavior of crawler-type vehicles are being perfomed. However, these studies do not seem to take much account of the behavior of crawler shoes and the deformations of the road. The purpose of this study is to construct a theory of crawler propulsion in which the dynamic interaction between shoes and road is considered and to elucideate the dynamic interaction, which has not yet been sufficiently explicated experimentally or theoretically. The main features of the theory are as follows. (1) In the simulation model, the crawler belt is dealt with not as a continuous element but as a segmented element composed of shoes. (2) The road is regarded as a viscoelastic-plastic material having both the independence of the propelling direction for a crawler-type vehicle and its vertical direction. In this study has been, the theory of straight propulsion for crawler-type vehicles has been established and its propriety verified.

Dynamic Interaction between Crawler Shoes and Road. 2nd Report, Application of Basic Theory to Actual Machines.

A dynamic interaction between crawler shoes and road has been made clear by our theory of crawler propulsion, which was constructed in our first report. In order to complete the theory numerically, modellings of a vehicle body and a joint of each element are discussed and applied to a power shovel. The application has given the dynamic ground pressure profile, which could not obtain under previous theories. A comparision between experimental and numerical results has verified an efficacy of our theory. This theory is useful for the design of crawler-type vehicles.

Simulation of Crawler-type Vehicles Running over a Bump.

Dynamic behaviors of crawler-type vehicles in off-road running are nonlinear phenomena caused by the changeable boundary conditions of the ground, and the rattle of the crawler. Therefore, they are usually analyzed by direct numerical calculation of equations of motion using a rigid body and mass-spring-type model. But in this method, the effect of flexibility is not considered for the frame component of which a vehicle consists. In this paper, an efficient method is proposed, by which most hard behavior can be analyzed on falling impact with the ground when a crawler-type vehicle is running over a bump. This method consists of 2-D rigid-body motion analysis, component mode synthesis, and modal response analysis, and hence it can be applied to a large size model which contains flexible structures. Usefulness of this method in application to a bulldozer is demonstrated by simulation and experiment.

Dynamic behavior of crawler-type vehicles. (1st report. The theoretical study on straight propelling).

Crawler-type vehicles have a higher mobility on soft ground than wheel-type vehicles because of low-ground pressure and high-driving force. Therefore, it is important to understand the dynamic interaction between the soil and the track shoes durine propelling on soft ground, but there are few studies on such phenomena. Also, the dynamic driving force, the dynamic Rround pressure distribution and the dynamic behavior of the vehicles have not been developed theoretically at all. In this paper, a suitable simulation model, which considers the dynamic effect of the soil, has been proposed, and the equations of motion have been developed by Lagrange's equation.

Dynamic Behavior of Crawler-type Venhicles. 2nd Report. The Experimental Examination of Straight Propelling.

In the previous paper, we developed equations of motion for analyzing the dynamic behavior of crawler-type vehicles during straight propelling on soft ground and firm ground. In this paper, the experimental tests were carried out in order to verify the validity of the simulation model, The power shovel, a typical example of the crawler-type vehicles is used in the tests. We measured the dynamic characteristic of the soil for the characteristic of the settlement and the shear that considered hysteresis. The results of experimental tests are in good agreement with the theoretical results. The dynamic behavior of the vehicles, the dynamic ground pressure and so on, are determined.

Dynamic behavior of crawler-type vehicles. 1st report, The theoretical study on straight propelling.

Crawler-type vehicles have a higher mobility on the soft ground than wheel-type vehicles because of a low-ground pressure and a high-driving force. Therefore, it is important to understand the dynamic interaction between the soil and the track shoes during propelling on the soft ground, but there are few studies on such phenomena. Also the dynamic driving force, the dynamic ground pressure distribution and the dynamic behavior of the vehicles have not been developed theoretically at all. In this paper, a suitable simulation model, which considers the dynamic effect of the soil, has been proposed, and the equations of motion have been developed by Lagrange's equation.

An experimental remote handling system

An experimental robotic remote handling system is described which has been constructed in order to investigate various engineering problems in advanced remote handling such as the man-machine interface, system control and communication. The device consists of a mobile and a control station. The mobile station comprises an electrical manipulator having seven degrees of freedom, a TV camera, a control sub-computer, a servo-control unit, radio transmitters and receivers, batteries, etc., which are mounted on a crawler-type vehicle. The control station is equipped with the master arm of the manipulator, radio transmitters and receivers, a TV monitor, a main control computer and its peripheral devices, etc. The manipulator can be operated in either a master-slave, a playback or a programmed control mode with the assistance of control computers. Communication between the mobile and the control stations is made using optical fibres or a radio link.

An Experimental Remote Handling Device

An experimental robotic remote handling device is described which has been constructed in order to investigate various engineering problems in advanced remote handling such as man-machine interface, system control, and communication. The device consists of a mobile station and a control station. The mobile station comprises an electrical manipulator having seven degrees of freedom, a TV camera, a control sub-computer, a servo-control unit, radio transmitters and receivers, batteries, etc. which are mounted on a crawler-type vehicle. The control station is equipped with a master-arm of the manipulator, radio transmitters, receivers, a TV monitor, a main control computer and its peripheral devices, etc. The manipulator can be operated in either master-slave, playback or programmed control mode with the assistance of the control computer. The communication between the mobile and the control stations is made using optical fibers or radio link.